The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India’s report on Tamil Nadu (General and Social Sector) for the year ending on March 31, 2014 got tabled in the state assembly last month. Himanshu Upadhyaya analyses the report and asks question on the non-responsiveness of the state government to CAG’s performance review.

Basic education and subsequent employment opportunities are issues that India has continued to grapple with even during periods of reasonable growth. Could highly educated parliamentarians necessarily drive these forward? Tanvi Bhatikar analyses findings of a recent voters’ survey in search of an answer.

The Nanagu Shaale programme of a Karnataka-based NGO shows why the national Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan's provision of home-based education for
children with special needs may in practice defeat the ideological objective of inclusion.
Satarupa Sen Bhattacharya
reports.

There has been a needless focus on the Right to Education Act's provision of aspirational seats in private schools.
Only a small fraction of public schools students can benefit from this, writes
E S Ramamurthy.

There is a great shortage of people with employable skills. But vocational training is neither popular nor seen to be offering good job options. The
challenge is to overcome this perception, writes
Megha Aggarwal.

A wide range of programmes and strong financial support have helped Tripura raise access to education for its tribal population.
Ratna Bharali Talukdar
on the many incentives that anchor the state's efforts to bridge the learning gap between tribals and non-tribals.

In 2005, the Education department of Tripura decided to give a push to Kok-Borok as a medium of instruction at the Junior Basic level to help tribal
students learn in their mother tongue.
Ratna Bharali Talukdar
reports on the challenges as well as the gains from a strong focus on education in recent years in the state.

In U.P., the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme - instituted under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in 2005
to ensure access and quality elementary education (Class 6-8) for disadvantaged girls - has opened new doors
hitherto closed because of discrimination and poverty.
Swapna Majumdar
has more.

Meghalaya's vocational training system, despite being funded by New Delhi as well as the
state government, has two problems. One, there is dearth of adequate number of Industrial Training Institutes (ITI). Two, the placement record is poor and does not generate demand.
Ratna Bharali Talukdar
finds out what went wrong.

The abrupt transition from Konkani and Marathi in primary schools to English in Standard V puts tremendous pressure on children from rural
communities in Goa. By the time these learners reach the crucial higher grades, nearly half of them drop out of school.
Rupa Chinai
reports.

With the Central government lobbing the ball into the states' court, the
right to education bill has practically lost its very essence. Without a
central legislation to support it, a constitutional guarantee will have
little meaning, say most experts.
Deepa A
concludes the 'Lens on Education' series.